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Rain-delayed NHRA event at Indy gives second chance to title hopefuls

September 5, 2012

Ron Capps heads into the weekend holding down the fifth qualifying position in the Funny Car class at Indianapolis. Photo by NHRA/National Dragster

The NHRA returns to Lucas Oil Raceway this weekend for the completion of the MAC Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus, and that means new life for several Countdown to the Championship hopefuls. The event was originally scheduled for Labor Day weekend, but persistent rain showers from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac forced series officials to delay the event by one week.

The final two rounds of qualifying, originally rained out last weekend, will be held on Saturday with eliminations set for Sunday.

Several Countdown-eligible drivers who failed to qualify for their respective fields last weekend will now get a much-needed second chance. Those drivers include Terry McMillen in Top Fuel, Larry Morgan in Pro Stock, and two past event champions in Funny Car--Robert Hight (2006, 2008) and Cruz Pedregon (1992, 1994, 1995).

“We have new life, the weather put us in this predicament and the weather kinda got us out of it,” Pedregon said. “We are going to take advantage of it. The Snap-on Tools Toyota was off the first three runs, but the schedule was for five runs and we are going to make our best, be smart, get into the field and race like we are capable of doing and we could win this race.”

Most drivers have taken the postponement in stride and are anxious for racing to resume.

“It's kinda like being a kid and somebody gave you this big piece of candy and then they take it away and say you can't have it until tomorrow night after dinner; not tonight like we first told you,” said Antron Brown, the defending Top Fuel winner. “The weather is looking really good, mid-70s, so we're looking for some fast times and it gets you excited about that, but right now you are bummed because you are just sitting here waiting for it to happen.”

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Courtney Force (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) will be the qualifying leaders when racing resumes on Saturday with the first of two pro qualifying sessions, scheduled for 11 a.m. The race, which is the final opportunity for NHRA drivers to qualify for the Full Throttle Countdown to the Championship playoffs, will be televised by ESPN2HD on Sunday with five hours of coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Force, who led Funny Car in the first three qualifying sessions last weekend with a performance of 4.049 seconds at a track record speed of 317.27 mph in her Traxxas Ford Mustang, is eager to return and try to solidify her first career No. 1 qualifying position.

“It is delayed a week but it is still the Indy race, The Big Go,” the 24-year-old Force said. “The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is obviously the biggest race of the season and it really sets the mood for the Countdown to the Championship. Everyone is really trying to lock in. It doesn't matter if it is this weekend or next, everyone is going to be fighting out there to get that spot.”

In addition, she is one of eight drivers who will race for the $100,000 Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car, a special all-star race within a race which will be held on Saturday the 8th. As the winner of the fan vote/lottery for the eighth starting spot, she will face top seed Ron Capps in the opening round of the lucrative bonus race.

“You're ready to race and you are so excited since you are at the U.S. Nationals getting qualified and being in the No. 1 spot and then it all just kinda fades away. You look at it and you go I have to come out and do it all again,” Force continued. “It is tough to get a No. 1 spot and it will roll over but anyone can come out here and run better than a 4.04. You've got to be ready and you really have to get back in the fight mode.”

Massey, who already won the $100,000 NHRA Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel, will now try to keep his hot Indy run going in his Prestone/FRAM dragster, and will work on claiming the top qualifying position and race victory.

“Coming off the NHRA Traxxas Top Fuel Shootout win and being the (qualifying leader) we obviously wanted to come out there Monday and to get the race day going because we had some momentum going,” Massey said. “We still do, it's just now we have to have a week off in between to keep it going. Now we are going to have two more runs, which is good and bad because it is a chance for other guys to knock us off the No. 1 spot, but also a chance for us to get two more runs of data and to keep going.”